Ready to revitalize? We’re excited to bring you our monthly “healthstrology” column that focuses on feeling your best during every solar cycle. We’ve tapped our friend Stephanie Gailing, MS—an astrologer and wellness alchemist—to share her wisdom as a guest contributor. With the Sun settling into Capricorn from December 21 to January 20, here are some stellar suggestions for wellness. Enjoy and salud!—T&O

Each year, when the Sun streams through Aquarius, the star sign of the future, (this year from January 19-February 18), we experience the ability to tap into the humanitarian and community oriented qualities this sign represents. And while this may help us to infuse our lives with more understanding, camaraderie, and innovation, this time—like all others—may also offer us a cornucopia of unique challenges.

Turning to wellness astrology, and keeping in mind the unique strengths and vulnerabilities associated with Aquarius, we can find stellar ways to foster vitality, reduce stress and fine-tune our well-being.

I can see the big picture.
Just because it’s not obvious doesn’t mean it’s not the right path.
Strengthening my aura strengthens my well-being.

Aquarius Stress-Reducing Allies:

Objectivity
Ability to recognize patterns
Knack for the unconventional solution

Wellness Arena

In wellness astrology, aspects of our anatomy and physiology accord with the twelve zodiac signs. Those that are associated with Aquarius include the lower legs, ankles, peripheral circulatory system, and bio-energetic system (our life force and aura).

Body Focus
Angle for Ankle Health
It’s a good time of the year to give the Aquarius-ruled ankles a little extra TLC. Like the sign Aquarius, ankles provide structure, doing so from a multifaceted, rather than one-sided, approach. After all, what we call the “ankle” isn’t just one thing, but rather a panoply of joints, muscles, bones and connective tissue. Weave ankle-supporting exercises like these into your self-care regimen. Take extra precautions—like hydrating and stretching—before exercising to avoid injury. And, while you may hate to hear this (as much as I hate to say it), many experts agree that taking a respite from flip-flops may be beneficial; while fun and easy to wear, these unsupportive shoes are hardly a boon to the ankle’s joint stability.

Get a Leg Up on Leg Health
As Aquarius season may be a time when we beat to our own drum, it’s also ideal to focus on body systems that do the same. One of the most prominent being the peripheral circulatory system in the lower legs—a system of blood vessels that work against gravity to pump blood back from the lower body up to the heart. If our peripheral circulation is not functioning well, it can lead to varicose veins, spider veins and legs feeling heavy or sore. Some self-care treatments that may benefit leg health include walking, witch hazel compresses, and vein-strengthening herbs such as butcher’s broom and horse chestnut. Remember though, that prominent veins and other symptoms could be a sign of a more serious condition known as chronic venous insufficiency, so if your leg health is on your mind, check in with a doctor to rule out any serious concerns.

Eating GuidanceBe Light and Grounded
Our minds may be buzzing during this time, open to the circuits of streaming ideas that can help us form newfangled thoughts and systems. Eating some fresh raw foods—infused with beaming life force—can help us tap into the reverberating aliveness all around us. Yet an over-reliance on raw may make us emotionally raw, as feeling un-grounded can sometimes do, notably if we live in colder climates that encourage us to fortify with warmth. So consider a dietary approach that has you eating some raw fruit, eating vegetables in both their raw and lightly cooked forms, and including a range of grounding foods such as nuts, seeds and beans. An easy way to do this: make a salad filled with some greens (some traditional—say, Romaine lettuce—and some exotic—baby kale, watercress and radicchio come to mind), steamed cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts), plus a protein source topped off with a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, and your favorite dressing.

Honor Your Need for Freedom
During Aquarius season, we may flirt more with our rebellious streak, not wanting to be hemmed in, even by meal schedules. You could find that all of a sudden the three-square approach to eating feels boring and confining. Experiment with other approaches—whether it’s six small mini-meals or some other design—that fits your current hunger and mood. And if you have a craving for something outside of your usual fare, honor it. That said, with Saturn as the traditional ruler of Aquarius, this season is one where we want to not forget to nod to traditions that do serve us, even as we find new ones that do. So even if you shake things up with your eating routine, don’t forget the tried and trues: a wholesome breakfast that features protein and/or good fats in addition to healthy carbs, plenty of water and an abundance of vegetables.

Foods To Consider
Matcha
Looking to switch things up during Aquarius season? Well, if a cup of jo is your caffeine go-to, consider subbing it with matcha. Boasting an array of antioxidant phytonutrients, matcha is powdered green tea traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Matcha is has now become the “it” drink due to its health benefits. While it does have some caffeine, it contains less than coffee. Matcha nourishes the body in a way that just feels different: instead of a surge and then drop, matcha lends a sustainable boost that feels like it is enhancing vitality, rather than just ratcheting up energy. Matcha lattes are growing more and more popular at coffee/tea stands. And if you want to add this green tower-of-power powder to other recipes, numerous ones are available, including this collection.

Exotic Fruits
A time when we honor the global citizen in all of us, Aquarius season has us wanting to seek out more exotic options—if only for realizing that things that are out of our routine aren’t as foreign as we thought they would be. So this time of year, forgo the grapefruit for the goji berry; the apple for acai, and melon for the mangosteen. These fruits may have grown in popularity in recent years, but there’s a good chance you may have never even heard of them a decade ago! Other “not-in-your-grandmother’s-fruit-cocktail” fruites include: guava, persimmon, dried mulberries, and lucuma. They’re alluring and exotic, but are also rich in a wealth of unique phytonutrients that can help bolster well-being.
Flower Essences

Quaking Grass
Aquarius season is a socially oriented time. We may find ourselves focusing on the groups in which we are involved in, and longing for more rewarding interactions. With a desire to bolster connection on our radar, resources that honor the uniqueness of individuals while simultaneously maintaining the collective spirit can be useful. Quaking Grass flower essence is great for this purpose: it helps individuals maintain a sense of balanced self when in a community, and while seeing themselves as a part of something much larger than independent entities. While the essence can be taken by an individual, it can also be used it as a room spray (mix a few drops into a water-filled mister bottle) to foster a more productive, as well as heartfelt, group process.

Yarrow
At times when our nervous system is more sensitive, and our internal circuitry seemingly more refined, we may find ourselves more sensitive to the energy fields all around us. While tuning into subtle energy can be wonderful, if we don’t have discerning boundaries we could become supercharged by electromagnetic fields (emitted by cell phone stations, WiFi, and all the other technologies of our connected modern world), which can lead to energetic depletion. Yarrow flower essence bolsters the auric field, shielding us from dissipating energetic influences while leaving us more confident that we are protectively contained in our own radiant aura.
Spa Treatments

Acupuncture
Acupuncture seems so Aquarian, most notably since it honors the signatures of this sign’s co-rulers, stern Saturn and radical Uranus. Thousands of years old, acupuncture is a healthcare system that’s time-tested (Saturn) and one that focuses on treating illness and uplifting wellness through inspiring the flow of our vital energy force (Uranus). People see acupuncturists successfully for an array of different conditions, including pain, PMS, depression, digestive disorders, and more—for which clinical research reviewed by the World Health Organization has shown the treatment to have efficacy. A new acupuncture trend in the U.S. that has its roots in China has taken hold in recent last years: community acupuncture. In a communal setting—again, very Aquarian!—you sit fully clothed on a recliner and enjoy an acupuncture treatment, offered by a skilled practitioner, for a fraction of the cost of a private session.

Reiki
Another wellness therapy that focuses on balancing life energy force is Reiki. While meditating on different sacred symbols, a Reiki practitioner will transmit the vital force energy (known in Chinese as qi or chi, or as prana in Sanskrit) to different parts of your body. Reiki is said to help to activate the natural healing potential of the body and mind, and is great for stress reduction and relaxation. While Reiki is a system of healing that’s taught in a structured way, it’s one that is open for anyone to learn. So, if you find the process to be beneficial, consider seeking out Reiki training in your area. You can also participate in Reiki circles or communal healing experiences. While sometimes Reiki circles (also known as Reiki shares) are open to practitioners only, sometimes friends, family and community are invited, too.
Relaxation Practices

Mineral Salt Bath
The symbol for Aquarius is the Water Bearer, a figure who pours this life-sustaining liquid from an urn, offering it in service to mankind. So, while not a water sign per se (Aquarius is actually an air sign), Aquarius does have an association with this aqueous elixir, making baths an in-tune relaxation practice during this time. A bath infused with minerals, such as magnesium-rich Epsom salts, offers muscle-relaxing and circulation-enriching benefits. Plus the salt is said to clear and harmonize our energy fields, a great boon during this electrically charged season. Add your own blend of essential oils and/or flower essences to make your bath uniquely yours.

Qigong
A meditative movement practice, qigong has many Aquarian characteristics including being community oriented in nature. After all, in its native land of China, young and old, poor and rich would take part in this group activity, with gatherings taking place in public spaces. In a qigong practice, you perform gentle movements that open your awareness to vibration fields within and around you, as you hone in on your sensory perception and increase the flow of life force energy. If there are no qigong classes offered in your area, check out any of the numerous videos available online.

Disclaimer: This information should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health condition or disease and is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or healthcare provider.